Hundreds of students from universities and sixth form colleges in Cambridge are protesting against government plans to raise university tuition fees.

Some students have climbed over railings and scaled scaffolding at the University of Cambridge's Senate House to erect banners.

Students from Parkside Community College walked out onto Parker's Piece to show their support.

The government plans to allow tuition fees to rise to £9,000 a year.

The demonstrations are part of a number taking place in towns and cities against the plans.

Anna Rainsford, who is studying for a PhD in Economics at Cambridge University, is attending the demonstration.

She said: "This is not a just a protest against tuition fees, it is also against the Spending Review in general and the ideological content of it.

"It is a group of students but it is also supported by the wider community groups in recognition that these effects will have a massive impact on the wider community and local education measures as well as universities."

Students are staging occupations at universities including Royal Holloway, Plymouth, Birmingham, London South Bank and UWE Bristol.

Marches, walkouts and protest events are also taking place at universities and colleges, including Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Leeds, Newcastle and Bournemouth.

Students are protesting against plans to increase tuition fees in England to £9,000 per year and to withdraw public funding for university teaching budgets for many subjects.